In recent years, popular influencers creating “men and masculinity content” have moved from the fringes of online subculture to the mainstream. Men and masculinity content creators (also known as the manosphere) are reaching millions of young male followers and yet, there is little known about the impact of that reach — until recently.
Earlier this month, Movember, a charity dedicated to bringing awareness to and support for men’s health, released a study about the impact of masculinity content on young men and teens, including the impact on their mental health. Based on survey results from more than 3,000 young men ages 16-25 in the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia, researchers found that young men who engage with masculinity influencers are “more likely to report worse mental health outcomes, a reduced willingness to prioritize their mental health, and higher rates of risky health behaviors,” like steroid use and exercising while injured.
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This finding is notable considering nearly two-thirds of young men who participated in the survey reported “actively and regularly [engaging] with at least one men and masculinity influencer” and many find it “entertaining, motivating, and inspiring.”
Masculinity Content & Worse Mental Health Outcomes
Young men who regularly engage with content from at least one men or masculinity influencer reported “high levels of psychological distress.” More specifically, young men who watched this content reported higher levels of worthlessness (27 percent compared to 23 percent of young men who did not engage in this content), nervousness (26 percent compared to 19 percent in the non-engagers) and sadness (26 percent compared to 19 percent).
Interestingly, this is true despite the study’s findings that young men who watch this content were also “more optimistic about their personal circumstances and the social circumstances of men in future.”
Dr. Zishan Khan, M.D., board-certified psychiatrist with Mindpath Health, described similar concerns about the growing influence of masculinity influencers on young men’s mental health and emphasized the potential long-term impact of masculinity influencer’s messaging. He noted that, “[t]hese online spaces often promote rigid, hypermasculine ideals that not only discourage emotional vulnerability but actively shame it. This kind of messaging can be incredibly damaging—it isolates men from healthy support systems and fosters maladaptive coping mechanisms like substance use, aggression, or avoidance of medical and mental health care.” Over time, Dr. Khan added, “this can actually lead to worsening anxiety, depression, and even suicidal ideation, particularly when they feel they’re failing to live up to these unrealistic expectations.”
A Reduced Willingness To Prioritize Mental Health
While many young men were “directly targeted by algorithms and fed this through their social media feeds,” a number of young men were drawn to men and masculinity influencers because they were looking for guidance or support.
Unfortunately, study results reveal that these men and boys are not receiving that guidance and support, and often, finding the opposite. According to Movember’s researchers, the content from men and masculinity influencers is likely at odds with “common protective factors for wellbeing (i.e., social connection and looking after your mental health.”
Survey results reveal that young men who engage with men and masculinity content were less likely to prioritize their mental health as compared to those who didn’t engage with those influencers (45 percent compared to 55 percent). They were also less likely to see spending time with family and friends as important (40 percent versus 47 percent).
Spending time with family and prioritizing mental health are generally believed to be positive factors for well-being, and it is concerning to note the large discrepancy between young men who engage with masculinity content and those who don’t. This discrepancy led the study authors to suggest that the content young men are “being served [is] pushing potentially harmful advice for their own health and their views of men’s roles in society.”
Dr. Sam Zand, a psychiatrist at Anywhere Clinic, has “seen firsthand how young men turn to online spaces like the ‘manosphere’… because they’re seeking belonging, identity, and guidance.” He notes that, unfortunately, much of the content they end up finding runs “directly against the practices that support long-term mental health and personal growth” and “reinforces emotional suppression, distorted masculinity, and mistrust of vulnerability.”
Higher Rates of Risky Health Behaviors
Self-improvement, physical and mental, is one of the core themes discussed by men and masculinity influencers. In and of itself, this content is not problematic, and, as the study authors note, can have positive benefits for young men, encouraging them to drink less and move more.
However, when taken to an extreme, this messaging can turn troublesome, as evidenced by the study’s findings. According to Movember’s survey, almost half (47 percent) of “young men watching men and masculinity influencers admitted to working out despite being injured, compared to 39 percent of non- engaged young men.” These same young men were “also significantly more likely to use performance-enhancing or body modifying substances, including nootropics or supplements (26%, relative to 16% of non-engaged young men), diet pills (19%, compared to 11% of non-engaged young men) and steroids (19%, compared to 11% of non-engaged young men).”
A 2023 study highlighted similar concerns about the rise of risky behavior after exposure to men and masculinity influencers and warned physicians that “the increased pressure on young adults to achieve an appealing athletic physique promoted by many influencers on social media platforms” had the potential to lead to the abuse of substances, like anabolic-androgenic steroids, and the use of these substances is “increasing dramatically,” at least in the United States.
At a time when “young people, including many young men are experiencing complex life stressors and mental health challenges” Movember’s report offers urgent insight into men and masculinity creators and how widespread its impact is on teen boys‘ and young men’s mental health. For parents, educators, and others, this report is an important stepping stone toward figuring out how to truly support our young men and boys — which includes having an open line of communication and being as aware as you can be about what and who they’re watching online.
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